A Strategic Plan Will Help Solve City’s Problems

I have released our working strategic plan for our first 90 days in office. Our focus parallels my earlier stated priorities, including addressing the war on crime and promoting economic development. It should be obvious that our campaign has put a lot of emphasis on bringing people together. Our plan is broken down into two parts, the first is a 30-day plan followed by a 60-90 day plan. Both list multiple meetings with the new and veteran council members along with meetings with local, county and state professional and political leaders.

Our 30-day plan calls for the reestablishment of the City/County Liaison Committee that will bring Fayetteville and Cumberland County leaders together monthly to discuss common issues. We are also calling for the development of a Mayor’s Business Council that will advise the City Council and staff on enterprise and economic development issues. Our 30-day plan also calls for each of the council members to appoint a resident representative to a new committee that will assess the utility and usability of the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) and make recommendations to the council if changes are needed.

The 60-90 day plan brings players to the table in the areas of economic development, homelessness, PWC service in recently annexed areas, customer service training for city staff and the reduction of duplicated services between the City, County and PWC. Most importantly, our plan will host a biannual summit on crime, focusing on how city, county and state professional law enforcement and court leaders can help reduce the crime rate. Also in the 60- to 90-day plan, we are asking City Manager Voorhees to develop a five-year budget that will build splash pads at many of the city’s recreation centers. We believe splash pads can be included in the annual budgets and are a relatively inexpensive way to expand our youth summer programs without the cost associated with building and maintaining community pools and the personnel that are required to manage them.

Our plan is aggressive but realistic. We realize that it will take the entire City Council focusing on common goals to move things ahead. I believe that we will be able to move faster than the past councils and make great strides in a relatively short time. I’m confident our new council will be as dedicated as I am to put our issues ahead of our egos and get to work for Fayetteville residents.

Upon being sworn in, I will meet with the following people and/or organizations to create a strategic plan aimed at resolving our pressing issues. At each of the following meetings, a timeline will be established along with specific goals. Measurable outcomes and objectives will be evaluated and assessed routinely.

30-day Strategic Plan

• Meet with new and Veteran’s Council Members individually with City Manager Voorhees to establish common priorities.

• Meet with City Manager Voorhees and Chief Medlock to assess the needs of the Fayetteville Police Department and begin prioritizing budget needs.

• Meet with Chief Medlock and Sheriff Butler to establish a common plan of attack on local crime.

• Meet with the Fayetteville Regional Chamber, the City of Fayetteville Community Development office and Fayetteville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau leaders to see how Fayetteville can better participate in the recruitment, retention and promotion of local businesses that will create jobs for our residents.

• Reestablish the City/County Liaison committee with elected leaders from Fayetteville City Council and the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners. This committee will focus on resolving common issues affecting all county residents.

• Call for each council member to appoint a representative to serve on a newly established Business Council to further advise the City Council on enterprise and economic development issues and present items/actions that will assist local businesses in growth and long term prosperity.

• Call for each council member to appoint a representative to serve on a committee that will reassess the utility and usability of the Unified Development Ordinance.

60- to 90-day Strategic Plan

• Revisit, reassess and revise any new or unresolved issues from the 30-day Strategic Plan.

• Host a roundtable with PWC, City of Fayetteville Community Development office and the Home Builders Association of Fayetteville to find ways that each of these organizations can better service our residents and future development within city limits.

• Host a quarterly Crime Summit open to the public with all local, county and state professional and political representatives that will bring to light common resources that may be available. This Crime Summit should open conversation regarding our overall crime rate and ways to reduce it and ways that all agencies can come together. We must present a unified front on the war on crime that can no longer be ignored.

• Ask City Manager Voorhees to develop a five-year plan that he can present to the City Council that will budget building a splash pad for our kids at each of our community centers.

• Work with PWC to explore an expedited completion schedule for the recently annexed areas.

• Host a working meeting with City Council and elected state delegation to discuss mandates, revenue and current issues affecting both governing boards.

• Ask City Manager Voorhees to employ a comprehensive training course for ALL city employees on Customer Service.

• Establish and convene a Mayor’s Council on homelessness to unite existing resources and promote new ideas that may help those who have fallen victims to hard economic times and are involuntarily displaced.

• Work with PWC, city and county management to explore a functional consolidation of duplicated services.

Photo: Nat Robertson discusses economic development with Kevin Brooks, an owner of Trimmerz. Photo courtesy of www.natrobertson.com.